Cabinet



(No Model.)

W. I. OHMBB. GABINET.

No. 425,824. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILFRED I. OHMER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CABIN ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,824, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed June 10, 1889. Serial No. 813,724. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILFRED I. OHMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in cabinets.

The object is to produce a cabinet having a series of vertically-sliding doors, each door having a locking device adapted to hold the door carrying the same and those above it in suspension by frictional contact with portions of the cabinet adjacent to the doors, and to release itself automaticallyby the lowest door of the series in suspension being raised.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists of a cabinet having a series of vertically-slidin g superincumbent doors, each door having a bolt or catch adapted to hold any one door or a series of doors in suspension by frictional contact with portions of the cabinet adjacent to the doors.

- The invention further consists in the various novel details of construction, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, illustrated in the drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated a series of cabinets having vertically-slidin g doors armed with different forms of locks embodying the essential features of my invention, although the same may be carried into effect in other ways without in the least departing from the spirit.

thereof, and in the drawings Figure 1 is a rear elevation in section of a portion of a cabinet, showing a frictional catch or bolt carried by the door and its peculiar configuration. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing another form of catch or bolt. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken 011 the line 00 5c of Fig.1, showing the arrangement of the doors, locks, and shelves. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation in section of a portion of a cabinet, showing two bolts or catches actuated by means of an eccentric. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line y 'y of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation, partly in section, showing springs for keeping the bolts normally in contact with the vertical portions and mechanism for-keeping the bolts out of contact with the said vertical portions when desired. Fig.

7 is a similar view showing the springs arranged to keep the bolts normally out of contact with the vertical portions and mechanism for locking them into contact. Fig. 8 is vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 z of Fig. 6, showing the arrangement of the bolts, doors, and shelves; and Fig. 9 is a rear elevation, partly in section, showing vertical portions of the cabinet provided with a piece of metal having a roughened surface, and a bolt provided with a yielding or resilient end adapted toengage the said plate.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a portion of a cabinet; B, the front; 0, the back; D, the shelves forming compartments, and E the doors. These doors are mounted and move in vertical grooves F, formed on the inner surface of the sides G of the cabinet, and are of sufficient width to cover one of the compartments, the size of which compartments is governed by the distance at which the shelves D are arranged apart.

In Fig. 1 the bolt or catch I-I employed is constructed,preferably, of metal, and is provided with a curved bearing-surface I, terminating in a toe J, which curved surface acts somewhat as an eccentric when the bolt is thrown into contact with the vertical portions G, as shown in full lines. The bolt is actuated by means of a knob K when it is desired to lock the door inaraised position; but when it is desired to close the door or doors they are simply raised a short distance, when the catch will from the force of gravity drop out of contact with the vertical portions of the cabinet and resume the position shown in dotted lines.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification of Fig. 1. In this case the body L is made of a straight piece of wood, having its outer end provided with a rubber cushion M, and adapted to bear against a metal strip N, secured within the cabinet. This form will be found highly useful where the doors are frequently raised from the fact that the vertical portions will be apt tobecome grooved by the bolts being frequently thrown into contact with them;

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but by having the metallic strip before referred to this obstacle will be overcome.

In Fig. 4 I have shown another modification, in which two bolts are employed instead of one and are operated in unison to engage with or drop out of contact from the vertical portions. The bolts 0 in this case may be made of any suitable material and are eccentrically pivoted to the door. The handle of the knob P is preferably weighted and carries on'its inner end an eccentric Q, which bears upon the said bolts. Thus when the handle is turned so as to bring the greatest eccentric surface to bear upon the bolts, they will be thrown into locked engagement with the cabinet; but when the eccentric is reversed the bolts will be thrown out of contact with the same.

In Fig. 6 two longitudinally-slidingbolts are employed, one end of each of the said bolts being supported within a staple or guide S and the other end secured by means of a pin or other suitable form of fastening device upon the periphery of a disk T on the shank of the knob. The inner face, or that next the door, is provided with a series of serrations or teeth U, which are engaged by a spring Von the door. Each of the bolts is also provided with a rigid collar W, and between the collar and the staples S is mounted a coiled spring X, which spring tends to keep the boltin normal contact with the vertical portions of the cabinet. In this case when it is desired to lock the door in araised position the knobY is pushed in, which throws the spring V out of contact with the serrations or teeth on the disk and allows the bolts to be drawn out of contact with the vertical portions of the cabinet. \Vhen the door has been raised as far as desired and the knob released, the springs will at once force out the bolts and cause them to engage with the cabinet, while the spring Z on the shank of the knob will force it out and draw the disk T into contact with the spring V, thus not only locking the door, but also preventing its being released from any cause unless the knob is first pushed in in the manner just described.

In Fig. 7 the manner of operation is the same as that practiced in Fig. 6, with the exception that the bolts A are normally out of contact with the vertical portions of the cabinet and are held in contact therewith by turning the knob of the door and allowing the spring B to engage with the serrations C to hold the bolts in frictional cont-act with the cabinet.

In Fig. 9 I have shownstill another modification. In this instance the vertical portion of the cabinet is provided with a metallic plate D, having a roughened surface, and the bolt E is provided with a yielding or resilient end F, which engages with the said plate. In operating this form of bolt it is only necessary to' raise the door the required height, and turn theknob a sufficient distance to bring the yielding end in contact with the plate, when the weight of the doors, bearing upon the lowest door, will cause the roughened surface of the plate to indent the rubber or other material with which the bolt is tipped, and thus hold the doors up.

Although I have shown various modifications of a frictional look, I would have it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the constructions shown herein, but may vary widely therefrom in carrying my invention into effect.

It will be very readily seen from the foregoing description that, although this form of lock is exceedingly simple of construction, it will be found of the highest efficiency and durability in use and may be constructed and applied to doors at but a slight expense.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cabinet, the combination of a series of vertically-sliding doorseach door having a locking device adapted to hold the door carrying the same and those above in suspension by frictional contact with the portions of the cabinet adjacent to the doors, and to release itself automatically by the lowest door 'of the series in suspension being raised.

2. In a cabinet, the combination of a series of vertically-sliding doors and a bolt or bolts carried thereby and adaptedto be thrown into contact with portions of the cabinet adjacent to the doors and to be released from the portions by gravity.

3. In a cabinet, the combination, with the vertical portions thereof, of sliding" doors mounted therein, and a bolt or bolts carried by each of the doors and adapted to hold the same in a raised position by frictional contact with the cabinet, and mechanism connected with the bolts for releasing the same.

4. In a cabinet,.the combination of aseries of vertically-sliding doors and aweighted bolt or catch carried by each door, the outer end of which bolt is rounded and adapted to engage with the vertical portions of the cabinet ad jacent to the doors to hold the same in a raised position by frictional contact with the said vertical portions.

In testimony whereof Ialfix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' VVILFRED I. OIIMER. \Vitnesses:

R. M. ELLIOTT, ELLIs J. FINKE. 

